I've Seen Better
by McRaider
Summary: When Kurt comes home after several months of trying to get another solo in Glee he announces that he's considering leaving. His father, seriously concerned, asks why and Kurt reveals a history of continous trying and failing. Burt decides to take action.


I've Seen Better  
McRaider

Summary: When Kurt comes home after several months of trying to get another solo in Glee he announces that he's considering leaving. His father, seriously concerned, asks why and Kurt reveals a history of continous trying and failing. Burt decides to take action.  
Author's note: Kind of a response to prompt at glee_angst_meme, and watching season 1 again, I've realized to some extent how immature Will really is for a teacher and it kind of bothers me.

Rated: PG

Burt heard the door to a car slam and stood up to glance out the window only to see his soon to be seventeen year old son stalking towards the garage. Anger and a mix of rage were written all over the boy's features as he stalked into the building, past all his fellow co-workers and friends and into the office, where he proceeded to slam that door.

"Tornado Kurt has arrived," Carl mumbled from where he was leaning over an old Carolla.

Burt glanced at his long time friend, "Yeah…I've never really seen him that upset before."

"Upset yes…angry well anger just don't look right on that boy. You need me to finish up here?"

Burt shook his head, "We'll manage, give me ten minutes," Burt waved his best friend off and headed towards the office. He knocked lightly on the door, unsurprised when Kurt didn't reply, but he did appear to be furious because he was madly typing at the computer keyboard. Pushing the door ever so lightly, Burt also wasn't completely stunned to find no music permiating the room. When Kurt was really angry, beyond words he didn't listen to music and he didn't sing, because music was about passion for him, and anger was one emotion he didn't want equated with music. "Hey Kurt, I'd ask how school was but I'm going to assume not fantastic based on the abuse you're dolling out to my keyboard," He watched the glare that came at him, "Try and remember the keyboard is older than you son."

"I'm quitting Glee."

Those were words that Burt never expected to hear. He felt his heart drop, that wasn't something Kurt would consider unless something had happened…something very serious. "Kurt-"

"Don't try and talk me out of it!"

Burt shook his head and stepped all the way into the office. Closing the door he sat down in the seat across the desk from his son, "I didn't say I would. But I'd like to at least hear the reasoning behind me torching your school."

There it was, the slightest cocky smirk and a soft chuckle, almost impossible to hear, but Burt knew he'd cracked through the mile thick armor his son slammed up when at school. "Dad, you can't torch the school, it'd be illegal." Kurt offered, his fingers leaving the keyboard as he leaned his head on his arms and sighed.

"Ahh, damn ya caught me. You're right, can't do that, because hanging out with you is far too much fun. I don't think it'd be nearly as fun with two securty guards on each side."This time the smile was a little wider, Burt considered that a triumph. "Is it an uni-wi thing?" Burt tried.

"Maybe a little more like a spoiled brat thing, am I selfish?"

Burt looked at his child, "Kurt, you're probably the least selfish teenager I know, maybe it's because I'm a good dad or because you've always felt the need to protect me after the death of your mother, but you're not selfish kiddo. What's going on?"

Kurt sighed, "This is my second year in Glee, maybe I'm not as good a singer as-"

"Bite your tongue," Burt stated smiling.

Kurt rolled his eyes at his father's attempts to make him relax, despite how odd it sounded, his father was helping. "I'm not as good as Rachael in some ways, but dad…there are things she can't do that I know for a fact I'm better at. And Finn…" Kurt shook his head, "Two years and I've had more solos in Cheerioes than I have in Glee. And I don't think it's just because Coach Sylvester wants to put Will out of his misery."

"Kurt, I've seen you sing…maybe Rose's Turn wasn't your happiest moment, but I've never seen anyone do that before. Kid, the only people I know who can do what you do, belt it out through an entire auditorium with barely any microphone, take control of the stage…kids like you don't stay in Lima all their lives…they go to Broadway."

"Now you're just being nice."

Burt shook his head, "No I'm not. I had the opportunity to speak with Shelby Cochrine after Regionals."

"What!"

"Kurt she thinks you can make it. In fact she thinks you may be the only one who can. She says Rachel is good…but you've got stage presence kid. She…she gave me a couple of her contacts."

"How…wha…." Kurt shook his head, "Please tell me you aren't lying?"

"No, I've simply been waiting until you showed interest in where you wanted to go to college before I give you the people's contact information."

Kurt took a slow deep breath, "I can't stay in Glee dad, it's…killing me to be told every day I'm really have no talent but to be a back up singer. I know I'm better than that."

"I'll talk to Schuster tomorrow."

"Dad-"

Burt shook his head, "Look Kurt, I'm not the perfect father, I don't always get the gay thing, and I'm not as involved as I could be and I'm not demanding you get EVERY solo, but Glee is about making sure every student gets a chance to shine isn't it."

"Yes," Kurt whispered.

"Have you felt like you've gotten to shine, that Quinn has, Brittany, Santana, Mercedes, even Puckerman?"

"No," Kurt's reply was even quieter when he began to realize he wasn't the only one.

Burt reached across the desk and gripped his son's wrist, "Kurt, I don't think you're the only one who needs protecting at this point. Maybe the other kids don't complain, maybe their parents don't have time to fight for them, but you all deserve the shot, because according to Schuster you earned the right to be there, thus you've earned the right to be heard just as much as Finn and Rachel."

"Promise you won't tear him limb from limb?"

Burt chuckled as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his son's forehead. "Don't grumble," Burt replied to the mumble his son gave for the sign of affection, "I'll make no promises but to set him straight." Burt stood the rest of the way and headed towards the door, "I've got a couple orders I'd like you to input if you've got a little time before you head home for homework."

Kurt nodded, "Dad."

Burt stopped, half way out the door and looked at his kid, "Yeah?"

"I'll invite you to every performance when I go to New York."

Burt chuckled, "Are you kidding, I'm coming whether you like it or not, so I can share stories about Baby Kurt with all your cast members."

Kurt rolled his eyes as his father left the office. Sighing a few minutes later he looked down at the picture on the desk of his mother, him and his father. He missed her, but sometimes he was so thankful to have his father.

o0o

Burt Hummel waited until the end of the day, it was a Glee day, so he figured he'd fine Schuster in the choir room. He was on his way towards the choir room when he practically ran right into Coach Sylvester. "Hummel." The woman stated looking at him.

"Susie Hips, you've gotten taller…if that's even possible."

She narrowed her eyes. "You've grown wider."

"Your hair is graying."

"Bite your tongue."

He smiled, "How's Jean?"

Sue was surprised he even remembered her, "She's good..."

He nodded, "Good to hear."

"Your son is a brat!" She stated, feeling like she had to have the last word.

Grinning Burt walked away, before turning around and replying, "I know."

She growled slightly as they walked away from one another, but even she couldn't stop the grin at the familiar argument.

Burt Hummel was a man most people would consider terrifying, though few at the school now actually knew him when he was younger, except for Sue Sylvester who'd attended school with the jock and his deceased wife. He smirked as he stepped up to the Glee room, it was empty with the exception of Schuster, good Burt didn't want to completely embarrass his child….that was saved for when he got older.

"Schuster." Burt stated as he stepped into the room.

Will looked up from the piano where he was working on a couple things and studied the man in front of him. He'd had a couple brief encounters with Hummel Sr. and despite the man's size and stature and obvious straightness, he was unendingly supportative of his child. "Mr. Hummel, how can I help you? Come to torch the school."

"No," The man replied, "Kurt enlightened me that's illegal." Burt looked around the room. "That Rachael girl is pretty good, got a nice set of pipes on her."

Will, unsure where this was going, nodded, "She's going to go far."

Burt studied the man, "Really, you think so? Because from where I stand as a father I'd say any costar who tries to work with her will ask her to be fired in the first six weeks."

"Mr. Hummel-"

Burt turned to the man, glaring at him, "You know what's wrong with you William Schuster." He didn't wait for a reply, "You honestly think you're doing these kids a favor, you actually think that you deserve all those awards you've gotten for Teacher of the Year, maybe for school sure. Kurt says as a teacher you're the best there is. But you're missing a key component."

Will felt his anger rising, "Oh really, and what is that."

"Maturity. Will, you don't mind if I call you Will, do you? How many students do you have in Glee club?"

"Fourteen." They'd acquired two more this year.

Burt nodded, "Fourteen…so that would be Rachel…Finn and…who else?"

"You know who else, why are you here, Mr. Hummel?"

Burt noticed the kids were headed towards the room, he'd wanted to make this private, but he barreled forward all the same. "You've got fourteen kids in this club, two of which carry the whole group, not because they have to but because according to you…the team can't do it without them. So tell Mr. Schuster, why did you let all the other students join if you think they're all terrible?"

"They aren't terrible."

"Really, when's the last time you gave someone else the solo?" Will opened his mouth, but Burt kept going, "My son, who you keep shoving in the back has a voice that can carry across an entire auditorium, he has the ability to out sing Rachael any day-"

"With all do respect no, he doesn't. I've heard your son, you may have this grand idea that your kid is the best, but I can't give a solo to someone who can't promise me he'll hit the note when it counts."

Burt's eyes narrowed, and by now most of the kids stood right outside the doors. "Oh, so I see he never told you the truth, or better yet you're so stupid you didn't actually care to see the truth. Anyone who has an ear for music as you claim you do, can tell when a child purposely throws a note. Would you like to know why Kurt didn't win the Defying Gravity note Mr. Schuster?" Burt stepped closer to the man, practically head to head, "Because I received a phone call saying my kid was a fag, and my son felt so goddamn guilty over my pain that he threw the note to protect me!" Burt glared at the man, "He gave up the only song he's ever loved more than anything for me! Do you think Rachael could EVER do that? Or how about the fact that every day my son came home last year, he tried to lie about being thrown into a dumpster, but what he never lied about is that you walked by everyday clueless!" The man felt like he was on a roll now.

"You aren't teacher of the year, you aren't anything but selfish, still think my kid isn't good enough, fine let's move on shall we. Mercedes could litterally be the next Whitney Houston! She can carry twice the power of a normal teenager, but you don't look at her twice until you want to have a big ending song! How about Puckerman, kid may be a jerk sometimes, but he's got more swing in his voice than Dean Freakin' Martin! Tina has a beautiful voice but she's always singing back up! Quinn can belt it out if she really wants to, Brittany, Santana, Mike, Matt, oh that's right I know every one of their names, because I've had each one of them hang out with my son and complain. They all have beautiful voices, and maybe they won't all make it out of this city, but if they don't it's only because you're building two of them to believe they're the greatest thing ever, while the others doubt themselves and their involvment in this club."

In the hallway, all eyes were on Kurt, who was standing there stuck between tears of joy for his father giving Schue the once for, and humlitation that all his friends had just been told why he blew the note.

"Kurt…" Mercedes began, wondering why he'd never told her.

But Schuster's next works caught all of them off guard. "I know those students better than any teacher in this school-"

"Oh really?" The students stared inside, unsure when Coach Sylvester had entered the room. "Tell me William, if you know your kids so well, then why do I know that Kurt isn't your only gay student?" Her eyes rose, but Burt was unphased as well as he looked at her, suddenly surprised and grateful for the back up. "Why was it that when your two students wanted to shine, they came to my squad where they were welcomed with open arms, why is it that when your students are with me, or in football, they feel safer."

"What are you even talking about?" He growled.

Kurt took a deep breath and stepped into the room, "It's true," he whispered. He looked at Coach Sylvester, "She's mean, she's harsh and has a terrible fashion sense-"

"Thank you."

Kurt smiled slightly, "But it's true. Being a Cheerio means I'm safe, because no one hurts one of Coach Sylvester's kids. As for the note…I blew the note because in Lima, Ohio even the coolest people are homophobic, yourself included. You may not think I'll be big, but being who I am is what's getting me out of this cow town and away from people who believe only the normal can achieve greatness."

"Kurt-"

The boy looked at his father, then Coach Sylvester, "I think I'm going to skip Glee practice today Mr. Schue, I've got some other things that are more important than background singing to do." Without another word, Kurt walked out of the room, head held high as he didn't look at any of his friends. Burt glared at Will once more before he too left the room, Several of the other students, who had stepped inside after Kurt glanced at the doorway. "Kurt's right, if we can't all shine then why are we here?" Mercedes offered before she too walked out.

"He may be overly dramatic and a pain sometimes…but Hummel's right, if you aren't gonna treat us all fairly then why should we listen to you and do the same." Without another word, Puck walked out as well. Everyone was stunned, Puck had never stuck up for Kurt.

Quinn, Brittany and Santana all turned and walked out the door as well, followed closely by Artie and Tina. Matt looked at Mr. Schuster and shook his head, "You're supposed to be different. Mr. Hummel was right, Kurt's gonna make it bigger than any of us." Matt and Mike also turned and left.

Coach Sylverster smiled at Will as she too stepped out of the room; she had no doubt anywhere in her mind that Hummel was going to make it big. She'd seen few kids with as much talent as him. Kids like him didn't get stuck in little towns like Lima.

The End


End file.
